During an initial call or meeting, a capable recruiter will besiege you with questions, tailored to your unique circumstances. The objective, in part, is to understand why you’re considering a change. Are you aiming to make more money? Achieve a healthier work-life balance? Handle more sophisticated legal work? Next, the recruiter will collect an abundance of information about you as a lawyer, including your education, job history, volunteer positions, practice area and client roster.
At the end of the conversation, the recruiter might issue a blunt verdict. Perhaps you’ll need to improve your book of business before you can realistically hope to land a better-paying role at another firm. Or, maybe, the only way to work fewer hours is to leave Big Law and accept a pay cut. Such assessments might come across as unhelpful, but that sort of candour is a sign of probity. A recruiter who seems overly eager to place you at another organization may not have your best interests at heart.
Of course, the discussion might lead to an altogether different conclusion: that you would benefit from finding a new job. In that scenario, you’ll earn a spot on the recruiter’s database of moveable talent. You’ll then have to wait until the recruiter identifies a promising opportunity—something in step with your skill set and career goals—and sends it your way. When that day arrives, hurl every possible question at the recruiter. Ask about the compensation. The culture of the workplace. The billable-hour target. The bonus structure. The personality of the lawyers you’d work alongside. Nothing is off limits. In fact, a diligent recruiter will want to supply you with whatever information you need to evaluate your suitability for the role.
Once you choose to pursue a job, you won’t have to write a traditional cover letter. Instead, the recruiter will apply on your behalf. If the employer is interested, the next step is a formal job interview. Again, the recruiter will offer practical guidance, helping you anticipate the questions you’re likely to face and warning you about any reservations that the employer might have about your candidacy. You should then be prepared to show up to the interview and deliver a first-rate performance.
Depending on the position, you may have to interview multiple times or meet with additional partners or wait as the employer deliberates over the hiring decision. In the end, there’s no guarantee that you’ll secure the job. But this is, broadly speaking, how contacting a recruiter can kick-start a new phase in your legal career.